MARTIN Arrival Cancelled

PAUL J. MARTIN had a destination change overnight and will winter in Port Colborne instead.

MARTIN Update; THUNDER BAY Photos

RT. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN got underway last night from the Belle Isle Anchorage in Detroit bound for Erie, escorted by CCGS SAMUEL RISLEY. RISLEY took the MARTIN, as well as ALGOCANADA (bound for Nanticoke) as far as Southeast Shoal before GRIFFON took over the escort at 0100 this morning. At this time the trio is off of Painesville, Ohio on a course for Long Point. It's likely GRIFFON will escort ALGOCANADA to Nanticoke before bringing the MARTIN to Erie. At this time, it seems likely that MARTIN will arrive in Erie tomorrow.

Stay tuned for updates.

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Tug PRESQUE ISLE has separated from her barge for the winter for ballast tank work on the barge.


GRIFFON inbound on Thursday morning. GRIFFON's arrival is the first time since January, 1996 that a Canadian Coast Guard cutter has broken ice in Erie. In that instance, SAMUEL RISLEY broke ice for Algoma's SAUNIERE to bring in a cargo of salt.


GRIFFON easily breaks through the harbor ice.


Stern view.


GRIFFON heads into the bay.


THUNDER BAY approaches the piers.


Inbound.


Another view. Note the boarding ladder already prepared on the port side.


Close up of the 2013-built freighter.


A wave from the crew, who are no doubt happy to be in port after four days at anchor.


A watchful eye in the wheelhouse.


Stern view.


Passing PRESQUE ISLE.


In Presque Isle Bay with GRIFFON breaking a track for the ship.


GRIFFON approaches the West Slip.


Backing into the slip, GRIFFON uses her wheel wash to help break ice.


Close up of GRIFFON.


Coming to a stop in the slip, GRIFFON throttles up to head out.


Another view.


GRIFFON turns as THUNDER BAY heads in.


Passing THUNDER BAY.


GRIFFON departs as THUNDER BAY lines up for the West Slip.


Entering the slip.


Coming alongside the dock at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair.

THUNDER BAY (Finally) Arrives

Canadian Coast Guard ship GRIFFON arrived on station with the THUNDER BAY on Wednesday night at 2030 hours, and dropped anchor in the ice near the beset laker. After completing a crew change in Port Colborne yesterday, GRIFFON's first assignment was to break out Erie harbor at daylight and allow the 2013-built laker, which had been waiting since Sunday for assistance, to dock for winter layup at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair.

GRIFFON and THUNDER BAY got underway this morning around 0730 and were inbound through the channel, in front of a large crowd of onlookers, at around 0930 for the West Slip. After GRIFFON broke open the harbor and slip, THUNDER BAY docked on the east side of the West Slip and was secured for the season by 1130 hours.

THUNDER BAY, built in 2013 at Chengxi Shipyard in China, is one of six Trillum Class lakers built for Canada Steamship Lines since 2012. The ship, the first of the Trillium Class ships to visit Erie, is completing a long first full season on the Great Lakes, having only sailed about five months during the 2013-14 season. THUNDER BAY had been scheduled to dock at 1700 on Sunday, but the Great Lakes Towing tug NEW YORK, ordered to sail from Ashtabula, couldn't break free of the frozen harbor there, forcing the ship to wait for icebreaking assistance.

RT. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN, a fleetmate of THUNDER BAY, is expected later this week. The ship transited the St. Clair River yesterday and is currently at anchor in the Detroit River awaiting icebreaker escort across Lake Erie.

The layups of MARTIN and THUNDER BAY in Erie make Canada Steamship Lines the second most-frequent customer of Donjon in terms of vessels, behind the combined fleet of Lower Lakes Towing and Grand River Navigation. Since October 2013, FRONTENAC, CSL LAURENTIEN, ATLANTIC HURON, CSL NIAGARA, and now THUNDER BAY and PAUL J. MARTIN have undergone work at the yard.

Photos will follow tomorrow.

MARTIN, THUNDER BAY DUE

With icebreaker escort, both THUNDER BAY and RT. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN should be arriving in Erie tomorrow morning.

Watch Erie Shipping News for better ETAs and live updates.

THUNDER BAY Waits; RT. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN Due

Tug NEW YORK was unable to get out of Ashtabula today due to ice in order to break open Erie harbor for THUNDER BAY; therefore THUNDER BAY will be required to wait for Coast Guard assistance on Tuesday before entering Erie for winter layup. She will likely enter at the same time as RT. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN, which is on it's way down Lake Huron bound for Erie for layup.

Warm Weather Melting Ice

Warm temperatures on Tuesday made quick work of the ice remaining on the eastern end of the bay. As of early afternoon the ice is melting quickly and open water is now once again visible on Presque Isle Bay. The ice should pose no problem when the CASON J. CALLAWAY leaves winter layup later this week.

The melting ice has made it easier for vessels shuttling coal across Lake Erie, as well. Over the weekend the CANADIAN TRANSPORT, CANADIAN ENTERPRISE, and Rt. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN were becoming stuck frequently in ice on Lake Erie.

Ships Beginning to Run

Winter layup is almost over and it won't be long before the four vessels spending the winter under repair in Erie will be leaving.

On the Canadian side of the Great Lakes, CANADIAN TRANSPORT, CANADIAN ENTERPRISE, Rt. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN, and several chemical tankers are running. The ENTERPRISE, TRANSPORT, and MARTIN are all running coal from the nearby ports of Conneaut and Ashtabula to Nanticoke, Ontario. On the American side, the cement carrier ALPENA and a few tug-barge combinations hauling cement or petroleum products are in operation, with the 1000-footer MESABI MINER due to begin hauling coal from Superior, WI to Marquette, MI this weekend before the Soo Locks open on March 25.

As I've written, both CASON J. CALLAWAY and MICHIPICOTEN should leave late next week. The PRESQUE ISLE should leave a few days later.